Sand box cover



Sheet 1 3 Sheets- INVENTOR DANIEL ALLCOTT KELLY D. A. KELLY SAND BOX COVER H T l LAP April 17, 1956 Filed Dec.

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ATTORNEYS D. A. KELLY SAND BOX COVER April 17, 1956 3 Sheets-Shem 2 Filed Dec. 31, 1952 B W 4 u a M C C C C C C 0 0 0 0 0 0 a O O O O O 5 O O O O O O O O O O O 8 0 0 0 0 0 /z a, O Q 0 O 6" O H .10.? H W33 20: 1.1. u A E Hag} i mix" 7.0,... #1. 2 0 1- H .G I m 0 3 a 7 a/a M U INVENTOR DANIEL ALLCOTT KELLY ATTORNEYS D. A. KELLY SAND BOX COVER April 17, 1956 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Dec. 31, 1952 INVENTOR DANIEL ALLCOTT KELLY AT TORNEYS .tural detail.

2,142,308 srmn nox covenf -Daniel-Allcott KellypMilwauke e, was. I i Application December 31,'19'52, Serial No. 319,054

4 Claims. creel-ass This invention appertains 'to :railroad' equipment, and

more. partieularlytoa novel cover efor rsandthoxes-rof the 1 type'usedon diesel engine units.

In .order "to insure a wateiwtight and moisture proof closure for sand boxes, .it has been proposed :to ruse zinnerand outer'doors fontheboxes- Theopeningand closing of such doors and the relation .of .one door to the. V

other and to their frames hasmet with certain object-ions betweenrailroadsi and their workmen.

On'eof the primary objects of my invention his topmvide a sand box cover .en'ibodying inner and outerdoors with a novel connection between the same, wherebyupon the opening andclosing'of the o uter door, the "inner door will' be 'automatically'actuated therewith.

Anothersalient object or the invention is to provide a novel arrangement of springs' for the doors, wherebyithe jdoors-will automatically snap open and closed upon actuat-ion of the outer door beyond acertain position Einrthe zopeningzand. closingsmovement, and in which the -springs will function to continuouslyihold :the zdoorscsealed when the doors are in theirclosed position, the springs viunctioninguin .such a manner .that upon failure :of either. spring, the-remaining spring will act" to hold both doors closed.

.A furtherobjectof the invention is-rtogprovide ga-novel -.connection between the doors; andtanovelspring arrangement including .a heavy torsion spring and aflightertenbe held partially open (through themeeting at. an obstruction), the other door will be fir-nilyand tightly moved and held "infits closed position.

A still 'further'object of invention is the provision of a novel mounting .for the screen the chute carried by'the inner door, whereby the screen can swing-relative to the chute in an upwar'ddirectionand'away'tromthe sand ingthe-box in case thebox-is'oveFfiI'led with'sand so that the screen willnotimpe'de the proper closing of the inner door. a 'With "these'and other objects =in view, theinvent'ion consists in the novel construction; arrangement and formation 'of parts as will be hereinafter :moretspecifically described and claimed, and illustrated on the accompanying draw- .ings', in which drawings, a y T :Figure .1 is *a front elevationalview .shoWing-mytim- :rproved'cover mountedron the-side eaten-engine Hl'liLyOlllY a1fragmentof the unit :being .showmgpartsof the viewbeing shown broken away and in section to illustrate .struc- :FigureZ isa vertical sectional .view through ihe. cover .and engine unit taken on the line 2- 2 of Figure '1 lookv.ingin the direction of the arrows the viewshowipgboth -the inner and outer doors in their closed, sealeipositions tint-1111 lines and showing'the outer door'in .its partially openedposi'tion in .dotted'iline's and its movement relative to the inner door prior to the actuation"andiopeningofthe inner door. u v

'Figure 3 isv a view'takenqatrightangles"toFigure and :in imperfectly sealed, closed position.

min the direction ofzthei arrows, the view .showing: the :in-

=:ner tdoorsinits closed position and therelation-=of the torsion spring relative to the tension :spr-i-n'g. Eigure4tis'aa horizontal sectional {view through therover taken on the line 4- -4 of Figure 2, looking in thedirection sofirthe arrows .the .view showing the ;inner-.and .outerdoors :in their closed position. p v t sEigureSis ayiewsimilar to:Figure 2, butshowing both .athe. innenand outerdoors in their fully opened-positions .to

.permit-q-the loadingof thehoxwithsand.

,F "gnrei6 isa viewsirnilarrtoFigureLhutshowingth inner door held open .byian obstruction and-the outer door -Referring .to the dra wings in. detail whereinsimilar reference characters designate ,corresponding ,parts throughout .the several-vie'ws, .theletter C generally indi- .cates the novel cover for asand .box B.

.Ihe sand box B is ot -a type commonly vused in the 1 racksanding.equipmentzernployed on diesel engineflunits, :a fragmentot such .unit being shown in Figures 1, 2,' 4, 5 .and-o and indicated by the reference character U. As

setiorth above, only afragment of the engine unit U has tbeenishown, and in fact, merely .the outer shell :wall 1\0 ..sioned..coil-.spring, sothateach door ihas a..certain move- .rnent independent of the other, vwherelby should .one door ,has been..ilhistrated, andth'is shell wall .is provided with -.an opening 11 which receives the outer frame 12 for..the

.cover. ;T he. sand box Bis disposed interiorly .of .thennit .Uiandjincludes' an upstanding throat portion .13 leading v frointhe hoxpropenandterminating in .a hood 14 opening toward the frame 12.

Now. referring toftheiframerlz, the same is preferably in .thelnatureof a casting, shaped to.fit.the opening 11, and includes a :body -portion 15 "of a jlU-shape in cross-section and. this body supports an outwardly extending attaching flange 16. The body portion .15 fits directly and snugly wvithinthe opening 11, andthe flange 16 engages theonter l surface of the wall .orskinlt) of the. unit. The flange -:is welded or bolted, as at 17, to the unit. Fitted within .the

.bodyportion .15 is ,a .gasket 18 which projects outwardly from the .body. and this gasketperforms the function of .a

.sealforthe closure and .a bumper, .as willmorefully ap- ,pear. Thegasketlslcan .be made ,from any desirable material, such as rubber.

The cover C includes an outer .door .19 and an inner .door 2.0, and the doors are-provided respectively for closing the frame 12 and the opening in the hood..14..of the sand box4B. .Inthepresentinstance, I have shown -.tl:1e.doors .19and .20 assembled in a complete unit structure and'consequently. I secure-to the body 15 of the frame 12,,nby bolts 21. an inwardly projecting shell or lr1ousing22. Thellousingor shell 22 corresponds somewhat to thewshape of the frame 12, andincludes top and bottom walls 23 and 24, and :side .walls .25. The forward-.edges-of thetop and bot-tom walls 23. and 24 and the side walls .25 hakveformed thereon laterally projecting flangesf26, through which the bolts 21 extend and :if-de- :s ired, sealing gasket 27 can be interposed between the flanges 26and the .body'portion 15 of the frame .12. The .rshell'orhousing 22 extends into the hood 14 of .the sand box Band'the rear end of theshell or'housing is provided with an opening 28, which communicates with the .sand box-andthednnerdoor 2B closes" this opening '28. The

. :opening :can be surroundedrby ."a. sealing and bumper gasket 29.

through'thecover, on the line 3-'3 arrange, loolring In certain installations on certain characters vof uni'tsUg-the 'frar'neforthe innerdoor "Z0 is mounted inclependentlyiof the. fronttframe 12 and in which ins'tan'ce a flexible hood is utilized for uniting the frames for the innerand outer-doors T19 .and 20.

' "The'hin ge'rnounting for-the doors 19 and 20 can be ras follows. The lower end of the 'frame 12has formed thereon outwardlyprojeeting hinge'lugs '30 and th'edower edge or the =r 19 has iformed thereonantelongated at 33, for movement toward the around the gasket-13.

hinge barrel 31. A hinge pin 32 passes through the hinge door-under spring pressure will effectively seat itself against the gasket 13. At this point, it is to'be noted that the marginal edges of thedoor 19 are inturned, as body of the frame 12 The inner door 20' is preferably formed from lighter material (such as sheetmetal) than the outer door 20 and this door adjacent'to its lower end has secured thereto hinge leaves 34.' Mating edge leaves 34' are secured to the bottomwall 24 of the shell'or housing '22, and a hinge pin '35 is inserted in the mating barrels of the hinge leaves 34 and 34. From the coustruction so far, it can be seen that the inner and outer doors 19 and 20' are mounted for swinging movement independent of one another, for closing respectively the frame 12 and the opening 28. The inner and outer doors are'provided with certain adjuncts, and as illustrated the outer door 19 has molded therein a hand grip 36 and on its inner face well above its hinge pointinwardly directed, spaced bracket arms" 37 and seats 38. The inner door, has secured thereto, adjacent to its lower end outwardly projecting seats 39. Also secured to the outer face of the door 20, adjacent to its upper edge, are spaced pivot ears 40.

As brought out in the objects of the invention, the main features of the, invention reside in a novel spring arrangement and a novel connection between the doors.

The novel connection between the doors includes a plunger rod 41 terminating at its upper end in a head 42.

The head 42 is disposed between the hinge lugs and a pivot pin 43 extends through the lugs 40 and the head 42, whereby the plunger rod 41 is free to swing relative to the inner door. The plunger rod 41, adjacent to its lower end is provided with alongitudinally extending S10 44, which slidably receives a cross pin 45.

Upon the opening of the outer door 19, see Figures 2, 5 and 6, the cross pin will move the length of the slot 44 before the inner door 24 is disturbed from its closed position, and hence, it now can be seen that the doors 19 and 2% have limited swinging movement relative to one another and independent of their connection. This is important, as will later appear. When the cross pin 45 reaches the end of the slot 44 there is a direct pull on the plunger rod 41 by the cross pin 46 and the inner door 20 will then move open upon continued opening movement of the door 19.

With both inner and outer doors closed, the'compression spring 47 functions to hold both the inner and outer doors 19 and 20 in their closed, sealed position.

The doors 19 and 20 are also connected by a torsion spring 48 of a particular design. The torsion spring 48 includes a centrally disposed U-shaped connecting portion 49 terminating in laterally projecting coils 50 and these coils or convolutions 50 have formed on their outer terminals, depending arms 51. The lower ends of the arms are provided with hooks 52, which are anchored to the lugs 39 carried by the lower end of the inner door 20. The bight of the U-shapedconnecting'bodyportion 49 of the spring is anchored to and in the sockets 38, and hence the torsion spring onthe opposite sides of its coils 50 are secured to the inner and outer doors 19 and 20. It will be noted that the point'of connection of the torsion spring 48 with the outer door 19 is well above the hinge pin 32 of the outer door.

With the inner and outer doors closed (see Figure 2) the coils 50 of the torsion spring forcibly push the arms 51 of the torsion spring against the. inner door 20 and the U-shaped connecting body portion 49 away from the outer door 19 to hold both doors in their closed positions. 47 and the torsion spring 48 both function to hold the doors closed. Dueto-the. spring arrangementandthe With both doors closed, the compression spring;

as new is:

sliding pin connection between the inner and outerdoors, the inner and outer doors have limited movement independent of each other, and consequently, should either one of the doors meet with an obstruction during their ciosing movement, the remaining door can continue to its closed sealing position.

Initial'opening movement of the outer door is resisted both by the compression spring 47 and the torsion spring over the pivot pin 32 of the outer door 19, a neutral position of the springs is reached. Upon continued opening movement or the door 19 a direct pull will be had on the inner door 20 and the convolutions or coils SI of the torsion spring 48 will move over the pivot point of the door and the torsion spring then acts to forcibly snap open the door 19 to the position shown in Figure 5 and both doors are held open by the torsion spring.

The closing of the door 19 is resisted by the torsion spring until the neutral position is reached, and when the convolutions of the torsion spring are swung over and inwardly of the pivot point of the door 19 the torsion spring ings. This chute carries a screen 55 which prevents the entrance of solid objects, such as stones and pieces of iron, into the sand box with the sand, and in accordance with my invention, I connect the screen 55 by a hinge 56 with the lower rear edge of the chute. Consequently, if the box B is over-filled with sand, the screen 55 can move up (see Figure 2), away from the sand, allowing the complete closing of the inner door. The edge of the chute can cut through the'pile of sand. If the sand is piled to an extremely high point in the throat of the box, and the chute preventsthe closing of the inner door, see Figure 6, the

outer door can continue to move to its closed position, as heretofore described and it is again reiterated that each door can close independently of the other.

Changes in details may be made without departing from the'spirit or the scope of the invention, but what I claim l. A cover for locomotive sand boxes comprising inner and outer spaced hinged doors, and a spring connection between said doors movable with the outer door upon the opening and closing of said outer door and said spring connection including convolutions and depending terminal members secured respectively to the inner faces of the inner and outer doors, the convolutions being movable over the hinged point of the outer door and toward said inner door during the closing movement of the outer door for snapping both of said doors to a closed position and said convolutions being movable over the hinge point of the outer door out from the inner door to snap both of said doors open upon downward opening movement of the outer doorl 1 p 2. A cover for locomotive sand boxes comprising inner and outer'spaced hinged doors, an operative connection between said doors including an inwardly extending bracket arm carried by the inner face of the outer door above its hin'ge point, a plunger rod pivotally secured to the inner face of the innerdoor above the hinge point of the inner door and said bracket arm, the plunger rod having a longitudinal slot therein adjacent to its lower end, a

cross pin slidable in. said slot carried by the bracket arm and a compression spring coiled about said plunger rod and confined between the cross pin and the upper end of the plunger rod.

3. A cover forlocomotive sand boxes comprising inner and outer spaced doors mounted at their lower ends for swinging movement, and an operative connection between the inner and outer doors including a plunger rod pivotally secured at its upper end to the inner door and projecting downwardly toward the outer door and terminating at a point above the fulcrum point of the outer door, a cross pin carried by the outer door disposed normally above the fulcrum point of the outer door, said plunger rod having a longitudinally extending slot slidably receiving the cross pin, a compression spring coiled about the plunger rod and confined between the pin and the upper end of the plunger rod, and'a torsion spring including side convolutions and a connecting U-shaped portion anchored to the outer door at a point materially above the fulcrum I point of the outer door and depending terminal legs anchored to the inner face of the inner door adjacent to the pivot point of said inner door, said convolutions being movable over and beyond the pivot point of the outer door for snapping the inner and outer doors open and closed depending upon the direction of movement of the outer' mounted for swinging movement, an open ended chute secured to the inner face of said inner door and movable into'the box when said door is closed, a screen for said chute hinged to the inner end of said chute and movable .into the chute upon the engagement of the screen plate with an obstruction.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 4. A cover for locomotive sand boxes, an inner door 

